2. An oral paper presentation made at the
5th S.A.H.A.R.A Conference on
30th Nov – 3rd December 2009
Johannesburg, South Africa
3. By
Lawrence Osano
ILLUMINATE AFRICA INITIATIVE –
KENYA
P. O Box 43031 00100 NAIROBI
TEL: 254 020 2340 914
Mobile: 254 722 491 276
FAX: 254 020 313 171
Email: washataa@gmail.com
4. Introduction
The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS has
created challenges to everyone who is
involved in the
fight against it.
5. • Many of the strategies to prevent the spread of
the pandemic have focused on
promotion of condom use, reducing the
numbers of sexual partners, being faithful and
treating sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
among other measures
6. • Unfortunately, we have failed to appreciate and
respect some the African traditions and culture
in combating the pandemic.
7. • This paper therefore examines how wife
inheritance and 'Chira' as cultural practices
including polygamy and poverty are
impediment in HIV/AIDS control, prevention
and management with a case study from the
Luo ethnic community in western part of
Kenya.
8. Wife (widow) Inheritance
• Wife inheritance is a practice especially among
the Luo, the third largest ethnic community in
Kenya. Luo traditional practices and culture
provides for continuity in the family.
9. • A Luo family just as most of the African
communities is made up of man, wife or wives,
sons, daughters and an extended family and the
man the most central figure of every Luo
homestead.
10. • In the ancient days, the presence of a man in
the Luo homestead was personified by a cock
and a tall stick, sticking out of the apex of the
roof of his hut.
11. • Both were present in each man’s homestead
and if the man died, then the stick was cut and
the cock slaughtered.
12. • In dholuo, the cutting of the stick is known as
‘turo osuri’ and this act symbolically creates
room for a new man to come in and ‘put on the
shoes’ for the late.
13. • This is where widow inheritance comes in for
continuity of the family more so, women who
are within the bracket of child bearing age so as
to continue reproducing where there could be
need,
14. • to make sure that the family is fed, educated
and clothed with shelter over their heads. He
fully assumed total duties and responsibilities of
the late man.
15. • Interestingly, even the man’s (wife) wives never
had objection and could welcome this new ‘co-
wife’ and offer necessary guidance and
counseling wherever required
16. • In the olden days, the inheritor was strictly
expected to come from within the clan and next
of kin to the dead husband i.e. his brothers or
cousins, but this is no longer the case as they
can be inherited by those who are outside the
clan.
17. • An inheritor was a man of high integrity and
really commanded a lot of respect and in most
cases could automatically become a part of the
council of elders, the powerful decision-making
units and advisers in the community.
18. • A man could marry many wives
(polygamy) so as to have many sons to
protect his property that was mainly land
and look after his herds of cattle. A Luo
society is patrilineal in that only males are
allowed according to traditions to inherit
since it was believed that women would
get their shares where they are married
property.
19. • Even though HIV/AIDS was not quite disaster
in Africa until early 80’s and if a man happened
to have died of HIV/AIDS or any related
deaths and the surviving wife is HIV positive,
villages could just whisper since it was a taboo to
talk about death or just calling the name of the
deceased so the inheritor would automatically
be infected and later go back to the man’s
spouses.
20. • When it is a wife who happens to die and leaves
behind a widower, then the family of the late
wife automatically gives another sister or cousin
to surviving husband and the same case would
appear if their was an infection.
21. • What of a situation where a woman or widow
had died before being inherited?
22. • This was a purely private affair amongst the
council of elders and it was their duty to identify
who could ‘sleep’ with the dead body before
she was buried. This case was different in that
the performer was someone whose age did not
really matter but mentally challenged, had no
identity and not necessarily from the clan.
23. • He would then be given a meal and a liquor
and finally set to task by the elders as they
watch. This was meant to ‘cleanse and open the
gate’ for the family’.
24. • This practice of wife inheritance has been
abused and seems to have become a fashion in
the luo community today for it the direct
opposite of what used to happen in the old
days. Young men are running to grab the
widows whose husbands have died of
unexplained diseases for purposes of pleasure
and good life and would mostly abandon them
after sometime for their incapacity to provide
for the basic needs as the head of the house.
25. • These are young men in their elder 20’s or 30’s
who either fail or refuse to listen to pieces of
advice including having the blessings or good
will from their parents.
26. • Mostly they are those who haven’t even married
who opt for easy life. The community seems to
have taken a low profile in offering guidance
and leadership to its members thus causing the
young ones to go astray. Besides
unemployment to the youth as a root cause to
this condemnable act, lack of having a role
model from the community or the society could
also be blamed.
27. • Even though this practice has claimed a lot of
young lives due to the deadly disease, some
have also died of unexplained deaths which are
commonly referred to as ‘Chira.’ ‘Chira’ is a
curse which befalls people who are seen to have
gone against the customs and traditions of the
society and not transmitted through sexual
relationships hence there is no co- existence
between 'Chira' and AIDS.
28. • Note that according to Luo customs, even a
widow of 80 years goes through this ritual. It is
not sex as some sources may have put it over
the years. Luos, both men and women are
superstitious and fearful people. They believe
in the ghost of the dead that would hound them
if they fail to do some of these rituals
29. Male dominance
• In the male male-dominated community, a
woman is not expected to participate in
important decisions.
30. – A woman is considered to have no right even to ask
a man to wear a condom and when it comes to sex
it her duty is to oblige. She is used as a sex object
and expected to suffer in silence. Even when men
know the importance of taking precautions, they
often cannot afford them. A packet of condoms
costs almost the same as half a loaf of bread.
32. • Wife inheritance as a cultural practice should
be respected and practiced according to the
traditions for it is a meaningful custom and even
religious leaders should come forward and offer
their guidance.
33. • Institute and encourage sex education policies
and programmes especially to the teenagers
who are now among those highly affected by
HIV/Aids through media stations and in
learning educational systems.
34. • Policy makers should be the society’s role
model. They should also discuss this national
disaster in their public functions and even lead
in some of the preventive measures.
35. Thank you so much for listening to me
God Bless Africa
GOD BLESS ALL
AMEN
